The Vatican denounced China yesterday for ordaining a bishop without papal consent, accusing the government-backed church of damaging the faith and warning that the bishop risked excommunication.

The Vatican also accused Chinese authorities of committing "grave violations of freedom of religion and conscience" by forcing Vatican-approved bishops to attend the ordination ceremony of the Rev Joseph Guo Jincai on Saturday in Chengde. China forced its Catholics to cut ties with the Vatican in 1951.